Posts Made By: Ron Wodaski

March 6, 2003 07:07 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

M78 color (LRGB)

Posted By Ron Wodaski

I took a color image of M78 earlier this year, but I wasn't satisfied that I had the right combination of colors so I decided to try again. I think this version is more accurate. This is one hour of luminance and 5 sets of RGB (3:5:6 minutes RGB). A mild deconvlution helps bring out details in the nebula, and I adjusted the histogram to make the darkest portions of the nebula nearly black. I did some "micro histogram" adjustments to bring out contrast in areas of the nebula that are inherently low in contrast, and did some high-threshold sharpening in Photoshop (a high threshold avoids sharpening small details, and emphasizes large-scale structure) as well to help emphasize the subtle details of this nebula. The long luminance exposure makes it possible to use sharpening to bring out even faint details.

Taken with the Newastro Remote Telescope in New Mexico: C14, ST-1001E camera, Paramount ME. The setup uses an Optec IFW filter wheel and TCF-S focuser.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote

March 6, 2003 09:03 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

M100 LRGB (and friends)

Posted By Ron Wodaski

This is the very first time I've imaged M100; I had never noticed before what a beautiful galaxy it is. It has fascinating detals right down into the core. I used very careful histogram processing to preserve details from the dimmest to the brightest areas.

The trick is to use Curves in Photoshop that are extremely steep on the left side, and very flat on the top side. This is like driving at high speed; if you are a little bit off; your image will go careening over the cliff. But the more daring you can be with curves, the more you can get out of them on this type of image.

Taken with the remote telescope - C14, ST-1001E, Paramount ME. 17 5-minute luminance images, and 5 sets of 3:5:6 minute RGB.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote

March 7, 2003 10:52 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

M51 medium-high resolution

Posted By Ron Wodaski

I put the ST-10XE camera in the C14 last night, and imaged at prime focus. I have previous used the ST-10 with an f/5 Optec reducer, but with the excellent seeing at New Mexico Skies, it seemed reasonable to try for ridiculous levels of resolution.

The seeing was about average, but the results were anything but. This is 20 minutes of luminance exposure of M51, binned 2x2. (A separate test binned 1x1 is underway right now; results will be posted later.) For this test, I used the automatic temperature compensation feature of the TCF-S; I did not attempt to tweak focus between exposures. That remains to be tested.

I applied a little deconvolution to bring up the sharpness a bit. I really needed more exposure to get good deconvolution, however.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote

March 8, 2003 11:21 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Antennae Hi-res LRGB

Posted By Ron Wodaski

I did some more testing with the ST-10XE camera at prime focus on the C14 last night. Seeing was about average, but that was good enough to get this nice image of the Antennae. I used the color from my recent lower-res image (if you can call 1.24 arcseconds per pixel low res) to mix with an hour's worth of luminance at high resolution (0.7 arcseconds per pixel). I'm really starting to like this camera on this scope, but I never would have expected to get this kind of resolution.

Ron Wodaski

March 8, 2003 12:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Sunflower hi-res

Posted By Ron Wodaski

One more high-res image from tonight: The Sunflower galaxy. Three 15-minute luminance images with ST-10 on C14. I re-used color from an earlier medium-res image.

Ron Wodaski

March 9, 2003 11:41 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Hubble's Variable Nebula

Posted By Ron Wodaski

The scope was rented out for most of the night, but I managed a little time image an old favorite. The star at the apex of the nebula is the variable one that illuminates it.

At this higher resolution, there are more details visible than I have seen previously.

Three 15-minute luminance images, and a re-use of previous color. I will try to get new color with the high-res setup one of these nights.

Ron Wodaski

March 9, 2003 11:11 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Re: Mi first extra-terrestrial pics ever!!

Posted By Ron Wodaski

Very nice first image. I think you are at about the limit of sharpening that the data can handle; it is just starting to show significant grain - any further sharpening would only make it worse. The answer to that is stacking larger numbers of images.

Ron Wodaski

March 10, 2003 10:04 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Horsehead

Posted By Ron Wodaski

It's a little late in the season for the Horesehead (getting lower in the sky now), but I needed to test autoguiding software I have been writing for the remote telescope. The Horsehead seemed as likely a subject as any, as it has always been one of my favorites.

I took four 15-minute unbinned images with the C14 and ST-10XE, and guiding went very well. The seeing was pretty good; the images are reasonable even though they are at 0.35 arcseconds per pixel image scale. THe exposures aren't really very deep (even for an hour exposure) because of the small pixels, however. The image here is reduced 40% to help hide the graininess caused by too short of an exposure time.

Taken with the Newastro Remote Telescope at New Mexico Skies. Click the link below for info on the scope.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote

March 11, 2003 12:32 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Siamese Twins

Posted By Ron Wodaski

This is 6x15minutes of the Siamese Twins, a pair of colliding galaxies in Virgo. The seeing tonight was the best it has been so far (at least since I put in the ST-10 on the C14). Minimal processing, just some histogram adjustments and a mild unsharp mask in Photoshop.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote

March 12, 2003 12:45 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Siamese Twins in color

Posted By Ron Wodaski

I was able to get a little color tonight (two sets of 6:10:12 minutes RGB) and add it to the previous luminance data from a few days ago. Taken with New Mexico Remote Telescope.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com/remote